Alice Paul

Radical suffragist who revolutionized women's rights activism in America

Alice Paul (1885–1977) redefined the fight for gender equality through militant suffrage tactics that transformed American politics. While mainstream suffragists advocated gradual change, Paul organized the 1913 Washington suffrage parade and led the National Woman's Party in radical protests, including the first-ever White House picket campaign.

Her most enduring achievement came after winning voting rights in 1920. Paul drafted the Equal Rights Amendment in 1923, initiating a century-long constitutional battle. She also pressured the United Nations to include gender equality in its founding charter, impacting global human rights frameworks.

Through hunger strikes and unyielding activism, Paul demonstrated how marginalized groups could leverage political pressure. Her legislative strategies and symbolic protests became blueprints for later movements like Civil Rights and LGBTQ+ advocacy, cementing her status as a pioneer of nonviolent resistance.